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Chapped lips, her lips were so chapped. Her tongue swiped passed them in a windshield motion. It was imperative that she got some chapstick, lip gloss, something. The need for something she didn't have or couldn't became heavy on her. One step at a time, that's how she would take the day. No need to rush, because tomorrow was never guaranteed. That tiny amount of doubt or foreshadowing that encircled her was deadly. Life was deadly, meaning that we all lived to ultimately die.
"Scotlynd, are you okay?" Tessa called, her eyes running over her fragile cousin. Foot to foot, Scotlynd displaced, fingers tapping rapidly together. Her heart felt like she had run a marathon, skipping beats. She wasn't okay, but who was? Tessa's soft hands found Scotlynds arm, no words just physical comfort. Both sets of eyes stared at each other blankly, and tired. They had been walking towards their Maw Maw room, and neither had said a word. It was like fear had a piece of duct tape snuggled to their mouth. To speak was to accept the reality, and that wasn't an option.
The cold hospital sent chills through her body. Her head shook yes, but her body said no. The hospital beds, and nurses rushing past, it all was a remedy for the final stage. Death. Nobody, couldn't tell her that her Maw Maw wasn't indestructible, she was more than Superman. She had no kryptonite, all that she needed was her Bible. She was a marvel of a woman, someone would be so lucky to have gotten to meet her Josephine.
Scotlynd sucked in the air, as she walked at a steady pace. She knew that if she passed out, being in the hospital would be the best place because at least they could render aid. Her eyelids lowered and her lip quivered as she walked through the door. The beeping, the tubes, it was almost too much. The steady bouncing of a basketball was symbolic of her Maw Maw breathing. If you stopped it, you have three options to do with the ball: it could be stolen, passed, or shot. Oh, how she wanted her to take a shot, and keep living.
Her tongue hit the top of her lip, as her tears blinded her. She could feel Tessa slipping her fingers with hers enclosing them together. Josephine looked tired and dulled out as her color had begun to fade. This wasn't her Maw Maw, not her vibrant ray of sunshine. Scotlynd felt guilty, as she felt like if she hadn't left things would have been different. She could have helped her, helped her Paw Paw. Her outburst of selfishness killed them, she was killing her Maw Maw.
"I did this," she said in a horrid tone. Her body buckled and she dropped to the ground, she grabbed her hand and placed her head on it. Her wet tears layering her Maw Maw skin as if it was lotion. Tessa, couldn't take the sight before her and turned on her feet. Fight back her tears, and muffle her cries.
"I'm so sorry, Maw Maw. I'm so sorry for leaving you... God please, please...," Scotlyn's eyes slammed shut and one lone tear fell for what come to seem like hours. "Please, I can't live without you," she whimpered.
"Live for me baby," Josephine quietly said. Startling the two women, as the nurse said she would be heavily subdued due to the medicine they gave her. It was just like Josephine to defy the odds. "Oh, my Scottie... My precious baby, let me look at you," she urged. Using her weakened hand to help her lift. Josephine smiled, she was gorgeous, she was home, her Scotlynd was home.
